Apparatus for bottling beer



(No Model Sheets- -s heet 1'.

V. OPPL. APPARATUs FOR BOTTLING BEER.

No. 530,600. 0 Patented Dec. 11, 1894.

ATTEET lNVEINTElFP.

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-$11661; 3,

V. OPPL.

APPARATUS FOR BOTTLIING BEER.

N0. 530,600. Patented Dec; 11, 1894.

Milli- AT-TEET- 1 lNVENTDFP. @303- 7 7 M I WWZ 41;

T r'N E-IY zen ot' the United. States,residing;at Glove-y.

- UNITED STATES v A LE N TIN o P PL, o F oLEv -LAN D, 0H1 o.

APPARATUS FOR BOTTLIN e, EER.

SPECIFICATION forming m 011 Letters r am No. seogeoo, dated December 11,1894.

Application filed. lime 1 5 1894: Serial No. 514,65 3- (lloimodelt) To all whom it may conc'ernk Be it known that I, VALE TIN OPPL, a cit i land, in the countyofUuyah'oga-and State of Ohio; have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Appa'ratus'for BottlingEeera and I do hereby declare that the followingisf a full, cleaigand exact description ot' the 'in-% vention, Wli-ichxwill enable othersskilled in-the art to whichit-appertains to make and usethe 3 theconstruction'h'erein'shown anddescribed same. a it l My invention relates toan apparat-u-srsfor bottling beer, and the inventiou eonsists in the construction of apparatus substantially.

as shown and described and particularly pointed out intheclaims. r p Inthe accompanying drawingsjFigu rel is an elevation partly in sectionof a complete bottling apparatus comprising the bottling machinein the center of the figurein plain elevation and a centralvertical --sectional elevation of the pressure tank at the right and a supplemental pressure at the left, all as bottom instead of being raisedvasinFigs. 2 and 3. Fig. 5 isan elevation of the .upper part of the machine with the supply tube and its operating mechanism in-a raisedposition and showing the corking devicefor-corking the bottle. Fig. 6 is an enlarged verticalsectionalelevation of the glass observation chamber through which the overflowing of the filled bottle is detected, as shown in relation in Fig. 3, and serving as hereinafter more fully described. Fig. 7 is an enlarged sec tional elevation of the lower end ofthe supply or filling tube which enters the bottle. In the bottling of beer as carried on prior to my invention, it has been customaryto first fill the bottles and corkthem and "then subject them to hotwater or steam heat. This necessitated the double handlingof bot- 7 5o ties and the placing and replacing of them in the heater and then removing them therei 1 from, and entailed much handlabor and in- {cidejntal expense. .I have discovered'that the beer can as "we'll be heated before bottling jas atterward fand have inventedthe means herein described "of heating the beer-in a large tank-andithenfldrawing the beer elf-and bottling as the-last act in theioperation. "To do this it is necessary of con rse thatthe beer be kept under pressurefromsthe timethatit :leaves thetank -until it hasbeen corked, and

makes'prov'is-ion for this-necessity. i

regulated, and thepressure gage -3-"tells the amount ofypressure inthe tank. Thisi'nside tank'B contains thebeer which is suppliedthroughthe union -tat itsbottom,

having a valve 5' towopen orc'lose'the beer passaga and a valve, -(t :controls the dis hhargeth'roughpi pe or tube -.7-. The outer tank A has a joint '8 with valves and double pipe connection atits'bottom through WhiGhwSteam is admittedto heatthe water which is"oontain'ed in the waiter-jacket betwleenthetwo tanks A and B, and-then cold water is admitted'through the other pipeto cool the *beer. The beer havingbeen heated by th-isappara-tus orby equivalent apparatus ormeans, to say 200jFahrenheit to prevent fermentation. in the bottles it is then cooled in; the same tank when it is ready for bottling. When this occurs I introduce atmospheric-or equivalent pressureinto-the top of tank-B through the pipe -9 and maintain such. pressure therein as may be found necessary. to do the work. Now having the beer in'readiness inthis wayand under pressure and havingxopened the valve -6,, the beer may flow to thebottling machine. This machine-has a suitable frame C, and upon its uprights in the lowers'eetion of the frame is averticalmova'ble or sliding table or support 12 for the bottle 13. which is to be filled. ratchet mechanism -15- serves to raise and lower the sliding support -12.for the bottle to bring the bottle up into filling position and to lower it for removal.

Having the bottle in raised position as seen for example in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, it is in position to receive the beer supply pipe -16- extending down from the top of the machine and supported in a transversely sliding frame consisting of the bottom or lower part 17 and the upper part 18 and two vertical posts -19 and 20-. The parts -17- and 18 have beveled edges, as clearly seen in Fig. 3, and sliding in corresponding guide-ways in the cross-bars of the main frame. The supply or filling tube 16 is adapted to slide up and down in the frame just described, and is held at its upper end in a vertically sliding cross-bar -22 having eyes at its ends adapted to slide on the posts -19- and 20-. A flexible tube -23- makes the connection between the supply pipe 7, Fig. 1, and the filling pipe -16-.

The filling pipe 16 has a spring pressed valve -24, Fig. 7, in its bottom, the said valve having a spindle extending below the tube so that when the tube is extended down into the bottom of the bottle by sliding the tube and its cross-bar 22- down, as seen in Fig. 4, the valve 24 will be forced open and the beer permitted to pass into the bottle. The tube 16 and its connected parts are provided with a counterweight-25- having a chain over a sheave 26 and said chain or rope is connected with the top sliding bar 22 so that there will be practically an equilibrium obtained between the parts, and the said tube will be easily slid into raised or lowered position by means of the handle 27, Fig. 3. t 7

When the bottle has been filled the oper ator receives notice thereof through the glass bulb 30 shown enlarged in Fig. 6, but visible in Fig. 3. This bulb has a float and ball adapted at its top to close the pipe connection -32- when the beer rises in the bulb to float the ball. This pipe 32- discharges into the larger pipe 33- which descends thence into a supplemental pressure tank E, Fig. 1, having an outside containing tank F, said tanks resembling the tanks A and B substantially in their relation and operation. In this latter tank E, however, a comparatively light pressure is maintained, say, in the neighborhood of three or four pounds, as against, say, fifteen pounds in tank B, and it is intended to exert a back pressure in the glass bulb 30.

Assuming now that a bottle has been filled with beer, as above described, and that the tube -16 remains down in the bottle, there will be an overflow if the supply be not out ofi. It will also be noticed that the lower dove-tailed cross-piece --17 fits snugly over A lever --14 having pawl and.

and upon the mouth of the bottle because it will be remembered that the filling is done under pressure, and there must be no escape or let down of the pressure while the filling proceeds, so that the filled bottle shall retain the pressure which is given it from the tank B. It will also be noticed that the tube--16- which extends down through the sliding piece 17 fits closely in said piece and may be packed about its sides, if necessary, to make a close fit, and that when it is withdrawn as in Fig. 2, the passage to the mouth of the bottle still is closed from the outside atmosphere asit should be. The operator keeps his eye onthe glass bulb 30- and when he sees the beer rising in that bulb he knows that the bottle is not only full, but overflowing, and referring to Fig. 3, it will be seen that there is a slight side passage 36 at the side of the valved tube ,16- through which the been may rise into the short pipe 37-which enters the bottom of the bulb. When this occurs the supply of beer is cut oif by raising the tube -16- and the automatic closing of its valve -24.-- and the said tube is withdrawn from the bottle as in Fig. 2 by simply lifting on the handle -27, Fig. 3. Now, having withdrawn said tube -16-, the space it occupied in the bottle must be filled, and so it occurs that the surplus beer in the bulb -30 will run back through the channel in which it rose into the bulb and filled the bottle, and the back pressure fromthe tank or chamber F Will contribute to maintain the pressure in the bottle, as hereinbefore described. The bottle being thus filled, it remains now to have it corked and ready to be dismissed. To effect the corking, I have provided the sliding bar 17- with a rack engaged by a pinion -4.0 and a lever -4lto operate the pinion. By this means I carry the frame which operates the sliding parts 17--- and 1S- and the supply tube -16 bodily to one side and bring the corking device over the bottle. This device consists in a tube -44- having a plunger -45-= thereinoperated through a lever -46- and connecting rods -47. This tube is shown here as having a hole in its side through which a cork is dropped into the bottom and is in position to be forced down into the mouth of the bottle. The bottle is removed by lowering it on its support -12-- and another bottle is put in its place and the operation is thus continued.

It will be seen by the foregoing arrangement of parts of the apparatus that the beer goes from the tank 13 to the bottle cooled, and that cold beer which has previously been heated is bottled. Heretofore the bottling has all been done first and the beer was heated afterward.

While I have shown and described certain forms of difiereut parts of the apparatus, I do not wish to be understood that I am eonfined to the particular forms of those parts as shown, but that I may alter their con- ICO struction or operation more or less and retain the principles of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 1. In a bottling machine, the main frame, a movable table to support thebottle, a lever to press the table and bottle upward and a lock for said lever and a sliding part --17- against which the mouth of the bottle is tube 16 constructed to enter the bottle pressed by said table, thereby preventing outside overflow, in combination with the filling and having a self-seating valve in its lower end, a flexible tubular supply connection -23- for said tube. and a sliding frame in which said tube is raised and lowered and guideways to move saidtframe laterally, sub-.

stantially as set forth.

2. The machine describedhaving a part -l7 against which the top of the bottle is tightly held to prevent leakage of liquid or gas, and means to hold the bottle in said position, in combination with a filling tube passing through part '17- into the bottle,

an-overfiow tube 32 for the bottle, atranspareut observationbulb into which the said tube discharges, anda pressure tank opening through the observation bulb into said tube, substantially as set forth. l

3. The supporting frame, thebottle carrying table and the bar -17-- supported in a horizontal guide way and provided with sepa rate openings through which to fill and to cork the bottle respectively, mechanism to slide said bar from filling to corkingposition, and reversely, a cork containing tube and a plunger to force the cork into the bottle, substantially as set forth.

4.. The machine described having a later-.

ally sliding frame comprising uprights -19- and -20-- and end pieces --17- and -18 and means to move said frame back and forth, in combination with a filling tube provided with a self-closing valve supported in,

said sliding frame by sliding cross-bar 22- and a flexible supply tube connected with the said filling tube, substantially as set forth. 5. The main frame and the sliding frame therein, consisting of the end pieces --.17 and --18-- and the supports -19- and .-20--, in combination with corkin g mechanism carried bysaid sliding frame consisting in the cork holder 47 fixed to piece -17 the plunger therein, and the operatlng parts -46-- and -47- connected with said plunger, substantially as set forth. i

6. In beerbottling apparatus, a bottling machine constructed to prevent the escape of beer and gas from the bottle whil'ebotthng occurs, said construction consisting of a part having a close-fitting seat on its under side for the mouth of the bottle and mechanism to hold the bottle closely against said seat, a beer containing tank constructedto hold the beermnder pressure, pipe connections from said tank to the mouth of the bottle to be filled, arback pressure tank. and anopen channel connection therefrom to themouth of the bottle, whereby the overflowing beer is taken care of, substantially as set forth.

7 8 In a beer bottling apparatus, a tank con structed to contain the beer underpressure,

in combination with a bottling machine constructed to close the mouth of the bottle while bottlingoccurstopreventtheescapeofgas, and i said mechanism consisting in a piece l7- cation. l VALENTIN OPPL. Witnesses:

S. Q. KERRUISH, GEORGIA SGHAEFFER. 

